Taking a left hand turn here to get where I’m going I must bring up the one-time hallowed ground known as MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL! Howard Cosell, Frank Gifford, and “Dandy” Don Meredith were MUST SEE TV, even for non-NFL fans. Not only did you have the entertainment value but a sporting contest, truly a SPORTS SPORTSROCKERS delight.
Nicknames were Howard’s bailiwick from The ANGULAR HAROLD CARMICHAEL to MIGHTY MOUSE for Tony Dorsett, the GOLDEN JET aka Gale Sayers and one that led to his demise referring to a Black player as a “Little Monkey.” Another of his phrases was “I’m just telling it like it is” but some decorum is proper and necessary. I am truly one of those folks that when someone tosses a racial, sexist , homophobic, religious, or ethnic slur out then says, “I did not mean that,” is that they are full of you know what. If it was not inside of them, in their psyche then they would NOT have said it.
Back to MNF! Where else in 1974 would you find a Beatle, John Lennon and the Governor of California, Ronald Reagan, in a broadcast booth? A little anecdote on that pairing is that Howard told Frank, “you take the Governor, I’ll take the Beatle.”
Let’s jump up sadly to December 8th, 1980. The MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL game featured the New England Patriots vs the Miami Dolphins. It was an eventful day for me as I had wisdom teeth out in the morning and that flattens you big time. I was a little bummed too as John Cougar (Once he started rockin’ the charts he insisted that he use his GIVEN name Mellencamp) was playing in town the next night and my GF and roomie at the time grew up with the brilliant drummer/percussionist Kenny Aronoff! Kenny of course has played and recorded with too many to mention including Mellencamp, the Stones, Paul McCartney, Bruno Mars, Smashing Pumpkins, John Fogarty, and scores more! She had invited Kenny to join us to watch the MNF game between the Pats and Dolphins. Yes, I was in rugged shape but HAD TO check out Howard and the fellas. Now I was in and out during the game (yup I was a lot of fun) and in the last few minutes of the game Howard made the announcement that John Lennon had been shot in the back outside his apartment on the Upper West Side of New York City and was DOA (Dead on Arrival) at Roosevelt Hospital. Howard called it an “Unspeakable Tragedy” which of course it truly was one of horrific proportions.
YES, 45 years ago today John was murdered by a madman who was also targeting other entertainers (David Bowie and more). I was cognizant enough through the fog of the surgery earlier in the day to be shocked and cried along with Kenny and Joan. Kenny needed to get back to his hotel as Mellencamp did “bed checks” on his band, as they were his employees. So crazy that the next morning when I got up I noted that “I had the worst dream about watching MNF and hearing John Lennon was murdered.” I was devastated to find out it was true.
No doubt as I remember this horrific event I must say “I’m just sitting here watching the wheels go round and round, I really love to watch them roll, no longer riding on the merry go round, I just had to let it go.
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Please take care of each other and it’s your world, pay attention. Life is precious so enjoy every sandwich. For now, adios Amigo, long may you run.
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